Brought to you by Seahorse magazine, Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to

Bermuda To Hamburg Race
The Atlantic Anniversary Regatta (AAR) is part of the grand celebrations for the 150th anniversary for the Norddeutsher Regatta Verein (NRV), Hamburg, Germany. The Bermuda to Hamburg Race is the final offshore race of the regatta series for the AAR, following on from the 2900 nautical mile RORC Transatlantic Race from Lanzarote to Grenada. The AAR is the first ever offshore series crossing the Atlantic Ocean in both directions.

George David's American Maxi Rambler 88 is the hot favourite for Line Honours. This will be David's second West to East Transatlantic Race in Rambler 88. In his previous yacht, Rambler 100, David claimed Line Honours and a world record for the route from Newport, RI to the Lizard Cornwall (6 days 22 hours 08 mins 02 seconds). For the 2018 Bermuda to Hamburg Race, sixteen members of the Rambler 88 team have competed in the America's Cup or Volvo Ocean Race, winning both of the prestigious trophies on many occasions.

The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club is a hive of activity as the international teams prepare for the 3500nm race. The Bermuda to Hamburg Race features 17 teams with over 150 sailors from 14 different countries, racing under the IRC and ORC Rating systems and under Class40 Rules.

Top talent from Germany includes Jens Kellinghusen's Ker 56 Varuna, which will be representing the NRV. Boat Captain Tim Daase has represented Germany in the America's Cup and the crew includes some of Spain's best offshore sailors, including Volvo Ocean Race winner Chuni Bermudez, and Guillermo Altadill. Boris Herrmann's German IMOCA 60 Malizia will be racing fully crewed. Boris is a member of the NRV, and will be competing solo in the Route du Rhum later this year.

French hopes of victory rest with two outstanding yachts. Eric de Turkheim's Nivelt-Muratet 54 Teasing Machine was the overall winner for the RORC Transatlantic Race, Teasing Machine's crew includes Volvo Ocean Race winner Laurent Pages, and the outstanding French navigator, Jean-Luc Nelias. Catherine Pourre's French Class40 Earendil is one of a trio of Class40s racing. Earendil tasted victory in this year's RORC Caribbean 600 and The Atlantic Cup. Mathias Mueller von Blumencron's German Class40 RED was the winner of the RORC Transatlantic Race, and Arnt and Soenke Bruhns, racing Iskareen, were the division winners for last month's Antigua Bermuda Race.

Corinthian teams include Hans Oestmann's German team racing Lombard 46 Hamburg LinesMen. The company's main business is to secure and cast the lines of commercial ships visiting the Port of Hamburg. For the Bermuda Hamburg Race, Hamburg LinesMen will be casting off their own lines racing in the Atlantic Ocean back to their home port. Two Corinthian entries are keeping up a tradition that dates back over 100 years. Andrews 56, Broader View Hamburg and JV 52 Haspa Hamburg belong to the Hamburgischer Verein Seefahrt (HVS).

All yachts in the race are fitted with a YB Tracker, which will give position reports and more through a free-to-use player application. Over 6500 'armchair admirals' have entered the Virtual Race to join the on-line game go to: virtualregatta.com/en/index_vroffshore.php

IMOCA 60 Malizia from the Royal Yacht Club of Monaco, skippered by offshore pro-sailor Boris Herrmann,a is greeted by the National Icon of Bermuda, the traditional Spirit of Bermuda yacht.

Favorites Advance in Marstrand
Marstrand, Sweden: The final fleet races concluded this morning, leaving defending World Champion Torvar Mirsky at the top of the seeding going forwards in this competition, however the stories of the day were defined by fantastically close match racing as GKSS Match Cup Sweden welcomed the knockout stages to take 17 teams down to 12.

In the only match-up to go the full distance, local Måns Holmberg was hungry for payback on Taylor Canfield who has had the better of the Swede at GKSS Match Cup Sweden and the World Championship in China during 2017, both times in the Super 16 Stage. Canfield looked dominating during match one and two, leaving Holmberg to go back to the drawing board heading into match three. The Swedes certainly dug deep, won the start and led US One around the course, greeted by a roaring applause from the crowd in the grandstand and on the rocks of Marstrand.

After a technical issue in the pre-start which caused the US One crew to lose the main traveller, the pair were faced with a sudden death match point. Blow for blow the two remained even around the first lap and through the final upwind. At the final cross before the weather mark Canfield slammed a tack on top of Holmberg. In a hurried luff by Holmberg, the umpires green flagged the incident with Canfield doing all he could to avoid contact between the boats. With that it was a race for who could bare away, get the traveller on and head for home the quickest. Sadly for local fans here on Marstrand, Holmberg was hit with curse of Canfield yet again.

In the other Repechage Stage matches, Nicklas Dackhammar took the all-Scandinavian affair 3-0 over Jonas Warrer to advance to the next round, while Price beat the only other Dane in the competition, Joachim Aschenbrenner, in three straight bullets.

In the women’s fleet, as the Qualifying Stage concluded it was Sailing Team NZL skippered by Olivia Mackay who flew to the top spot, giving them the pick going forward to Saturday’s Semi Final Stage.

The men’s Quarter Final Stage will run tomorrow, with the women sitting out until Friday’s Semi Final Stage. Racing commences at 10:00 local time as more wall-to-wall sunshine is forecast with a slightly lower breeze of 6-8 knots.

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Slow going for first 4 days of Golden Globe Race
The first four days of light, variable winds appear to have played into the hands of Golden Globe Race leader Mark Slats, the Dutch transatlantic rowing record-holder and his secret weapon – a pair of giant sculling oars.

Slats overtook the initial fleet leader Philippe Peche during their first night at sea after leaving Les Sables d’Olonne last Sunday and has been a consistent front-runner since. At 06:00 UTC today the Dutchman held a 3 mile lead on second placed Peche as the leaders rounded Cape Finisterre and began their run south towards the Canaries and their first ‘gate’ off Lanzarote.

The fleet is now spread out over a 100 mile distance with Australian Mark Sinclair currently trapped in very light airs close into the North Spanish coast and wishing perhaps that he too had an oar.

The first four skippers, Slats, Peche, Estonian Uku Randmaa and French veteran Jean-Luc Van Den Heede have all shared the lead during this first week at sea and significantly perhaps, are all sailing Rustler 36 yachts. 12 miles is all that divides them today.

The forecast does not bode well for the tail-enders with calms continuing in the Finisterre region over the weekend while the leaders can expect favourable 10 increasing to 20knot northerly winds as they run down the Portuguese coast.

Brits bring their A game to mid-season fight in Extreme Sailing Series Act 4, Cascais
Taking an impressive five podium finishes in the day's eight races, the Brits meant business on the first day of the Extreme Sailing Series Act 4, Cascais.

Big breeze of up to 16 knots paired with flat water offered up perfect foiling conditions, as INEOS Rebels UK shot around the racecourse at speed, closing the day on the podium in third.

Having taken some time to reflect on their performance in Act 3, Barcelona, the British squad made a few changes to their set up ahead of Cascais, and they certainly saw results.

"We made some good choices today," said a pleased Will Alloway, the team's skipper. "The breeze built throughout the afternoon, so crew fitness was really key to keeping these boats moving fast. Our boat handling was good and we made some decent gains."

It was no surprise, though, that it was the Swiss who took the top spot in the Cascais opener, having demonstrated masterful sailing throughout the Series so far. Arnaud Psarofaghis and his crew sailed Alinghi to victory as they foiled into first place in four races, with podium finishes in all but one of the others.

Alinghi hit the top speed of the day, flying downwind at 30.2kts, an insight provided by SAP.

The Flying Phantom Series also took place today in Cascais, prior to the GC32 racing. Chased closely by Team France Jeune, it was Idreva Zephyr Foiling who took the top spot.

The Flying Phantoms will continue racing in front of Clube Naval de Cascais from 10:00 UTC+1 tomorrow. GC32 racing is scheduled to commence at 14:00 UTC+1. All the action can be followed on the Extreme Sailing Series LIVE blog.

Win A Short Handed Sailing Session With Marlow Ropes & The Offshore Academy!
Marlow is proud to support The Offshore Academy as official supplier and helps make sure The Academy’s boats have the latest products for sail handling and controls. We are giving our Facebook followers the chance to win a Short Handed Sailing Session with Academy skipper Hugh Brayshaw.

Round the Island Race Weather forecast
The low off Lands End should fill today (Thursday), with the N Atlantic High moving E over Ireland. As the day warms up a weak heat low will develop over the E of England, and this will bring a light W/WSW wind along the S coast, which will be thermally enhanced through the afternoon. It will be a warm day with patchy cloud & no rain.

Friday this high should move over the UK bringing a light N/NW gradient wind. It should be a hot & sunny day, allowing the heat low to develop again over the E of England. As it does so the breeze should back left WSW up the Channel, remaining quite light.

For Saturday the high should be firmly settled over the UK with its central ridge extending from S of Ireland to around Newcastle. This will bring a hot & sunny day with a light NNE/NE gradient wind to start. This is likely to be replaced by a developing sea breeze around 1100, light S/SSW around the back of the Island, light SSE/SSW through the E Solent. It will be a very tactical day.

Gusts are likely to be 1/3 as much again as the average wind speed. Squall-driven gusts may be higher still - the deeper the cloud, the stronger the gust.

RACE DAY - Saturday 7th
Light NE 4-7 kts to start, going very light & patchy then returning S/SSE 6-10 kts around noon veering right SSW 6-10 kts around the back of the Island. In the E Solent this is likely to be SE/SSE 5-9 kts through the afternoon. It's going to be hot & sunny, with significant local thermal effects.

80 Years Young
West Mersea, UK: The National 18 Class will celebrate 80 years of vibrant life at West Mersey Yacht Club when the Irish, Scots, Manx and English fleets gather for the British and Irish Championships from 15th to 20th July 2018. Also supporting the event will be the Dabchicks Sailing Club, with Paul Jackson officiating as Race Officer for the five days series of up to three races per day.

Alongside the sailing programme, this special celebration will also feature a packed social programme. From a Welcome Reception on the opening Sunday to the Final Prize Giving on Friday via an 80th Anniversary Gala Dinner on Wednesday evening, there will be plenty of fun to be had.

The largest of the GBR National Dinghy Classes, the National 18 is a three-man boat with a single trapeze. Starting with the wooden clinker Uffa Ace in 1938, the Class moved on in the 1970's with the GRP Proctor 'Ultimate'. In 2015 the speedy Phil Morrison 'Ultra' hull and a modernised larger rig were adopted and so far, 25 of these excellent boats have been built. All three versions co-exist within the Class, and race to Portsmouth Yardstick handicaps when they meet up.

The English made the most of the champagne weather over the last weekend in June by getting some practise in at the English Championship, hosted by Blackwater Sailing Club. Five great races were sailed in 15 to 25 knots and bright sunshine, producing three race winners and a very close result on overall points.

Further information about the National 18 British and Irish Championship and the class's 80th Anniversary celebrations can be found at www.national18.com

Letters To The Editor -
Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From Wiz Deas: Your article regarding the esteemed new management of Oyster yachts invites me to mention the following situation. I’m not in possession of a long history of great achievements like the gentlemen mentioned, I’m just a bloke whose business had delivered boat building materials (carbon fibre fabrics etc) to the company up to the point where they closed. These materials have not been paid for and PWC are using every trick in the book to avoid paying. This hurts and it is theft. I invite all UK suppliers to put any pressure they can on this esteemed group of new owners whose moral compass seems in inverse proportion to their claimed credentials .

CONCUBINE, is without question one of the stand out boats on the Australian circuit, both in terms of performance and presentation..... A full grand-prix build and meticulous management from start to finish has got the boat to where she is today, consistently challenging for top spot at every event

The design brief was simple - A performance super yacht at 65 ft. Blistering speed around the race track, with powered sail handling systems and inherent stability, means only a small team can extract the full potential of this, go-anywhere, racer/cruiser, which is fully turn-key. Offers invited.

The Last Word
The brutal times form a protective barrier around all the SLACK at X-Day. You have to go through the brutality-field to get to the pure, rich, ambient slack that suffuses the event, but when you leave the Slack comes with you. -- Dok Holocaust